High seas batter Kaikoura coast

High seas battered coastal roads leaving debris strewn across State Highway 1 north of Kaikoura yesterday.

The same swells forced the evacuation of 25 Hawke's Bay coastal houses yesterday and have put communities there at increased risk if there are floods. Waves of about 6.5 metres at high tide crashed on to houses at Haumoana Beach on Sunday night and early last night the swells were still heavy but waves had reduced to about two to three metres.

Surfers at Kaikoura made the most of the conditions at Gooch's Beach, and although it looked rather ominous, the sea produced some nice waves.

Sam Highet, from Wellington, caught a few but said it was hard work getting out through the surf and dealing with the swell.

Further up the coast at Waipapa Bay Camp, Sheryl Hayman said the sea was unusually big.

"In 10 years I can only remember it being this big once," she said. "And that would have been eight years ago."

Ms Hayman said she had come down from Blenheim earlier in the day and the sea was huge around Kekerengu.

Kaikoura's emergency management officer Don Clark said while the sea was big, high tide had passed and with it the threat of any more serious damage or road closures. He said all that could be done was to monitor the situation until the next high tide.

Kaikoura Coastguard president John Macphail said high seas occurred from time to time in the area.

"With the high tides and large swells it looks almost like tsunami country," he said. "In fact, it looks much more impressive than the tsunami last week."

- The Marlborough Express